Carl Crossman

I was talking with some friends of mine at work. We were discussing which snake was the deadliest in the world. As always, Frank knows it all and insisted it was the King Cobra. I know the Cobra is a nasty snake to be sure, but did not think it was the deadliest.

Anyway, I looked it up online and the general consensus seems to be that the Inland Taipan from Australia has the most potent venom. This snake could kill as many as 100 humans with a single bite. Death could be as quick as 45 minutes. Luckily for me, I don’t live in Australia. Even so, I was glad to print out a copy of my research to show Frank!

It’s always good to make life a little easier. One thing that bothers me is the trouble I’ve had with keys. It seems that every time I get home, I have to fumble with my keychain to find the right key. It can be quite bothersome at times. Even after I find the right one, trying to insert it into the door when it’s dark can be a hassle.

The doors we have at work operate by a code. All you do is punch in a number and the door opens up. I thought this would be a great idea for my home. I went online and did a little research. That’s where I found out about a new technology called keyless locks. The best part was that I could install the lock myself. There are no wires to run and just about anyone can do it.

Now, everyone in the house is happy. I don’t have to worry about anyone being locked out. That’s a big concern when I’m not there. I’m glad that lock makers have caught on to this idea. It’s just one less thing to worry about!

This is one of those issues that is hard to take a side on. After an 18 year ban, the media will be allowed to take pictures of U.S. war dead. The media must first receive permission from the family. I think that’s a good thing. We must protect the families of our service members.

I do hope that the press does not try to take advantage of the dead in order to make big headlines. I hope they will be respectful and use the pictures in a manner worthy of the sacrifice these men and women have made for our country. I would like to thank all service members for the good job they are doing in protecting our country!

I’ve reached that age where it’s fun sometimes to reflect on my life. As I heard an old song the other day, I got to thinking about my life since high school. I was having fun thinking of the things we used to do. There are so many people who I have forgotten about. I wonder what everybody I knew has been doing.

My life has certainly had a lot of changes since then. Once out of school, I started as an electrician’s helper. Slowly but surely, I moved on to get my masters electrical license. After many years in the field, I decided to make a switch. After enrolling in a two year college called E.C.P.I., I began a new career in the computer industry. Now I enjoy working for a big company.

My life has taken more than a few turns. Watching my kids being born and growing up was a great experience. I wondered what it would be like for my kids when they attend their high school reunions. I’m sure they will have some of the same interesting stories to tell as I do. It’s been a long road, but I’m glad to have come this far. I hope all my friends have been as blessed as I.

A friend of mine called the other day with great news. There was a sale at our local grocery store on pot roast. I hurried down to find that, indeed there was. At a dollar sixty-six a pound, around here that is definitely a great price. I greedily grabbed up my share and headed home reflecting on my good fortune.

Still being early in the day and deciding to start the process of cooking my prize without delay, I cut up the potatoes and onion. I stirred in the carrots and some mixed vegetables and topped it all off with a pot roast packet, as well as some salt and pepper. Now begins the hardest time. The waiting.

They don’t call it a slow cooker for nothing. In this day and age of fast food and microwaves, the slow cooker is absolutely the turtle in the race. Nevertheless, I went on with my daily routine and returned every so often to check on its progress. The wonderful aroma filled the house and flamed my desire to dig into the delicious concoction I had assembled. Still, with at least two more hours to go, my hunger drove me to begin checking its readiness at shorter and shorter intervals.

The waiting was becoming intense. I stirred the pot hoping that it would cook faster. I tested the vegetables with little bites. I made all the preparations to ensure that once ready there would be not a moment’s delay. Any minute now! The meat melts in your mouth. The baby carrots are perfection. I rush back to the pot for a second helping. Aaah! Was it worth it? Darn right.